Fated Mate to the Triplet Alpha
Chapter 123: The Moon’s Dark Secret

Chapter 123: Chapter 123: The Moon’s Dark Secret

The thing wearing Elara’s face stepped closer, and the temperature in the room dropped twenty degrees.

"Don’t listen to it," Darian warned, but his voice shook.

The thing laughed with Elara’s voice, but the sound was wrong.

Too cold. Too empty. "I’m not a ’it,’ brother-in-law. I’m family." "What are you?"

Elara ordered, backing away with Kira pressed against her chest. "I’m what you could have been," the creature answered.

"What you should have been. If you hadn’t been such a failure."

Behind them, Marcus and his men were smashing through the house, getting closer every second.

"We don’t have time for this," Ronan growled, raising his weapon. The monster tilted its head.

"Oh, but we have all the time in the world. Because none of you are leaving this room alive."

That’s when the ceiling burst. Silver light poured down like liquid stars, and a figure descended from above.

She was beautiful beyond description, with skin that glowed like moonbeams and hair that flowed like liquid mercury.

Her eyes held the wisdom of ages and the coldness of deep space. "Enough," she said, and her voice made the walls quiver.

Every person in the house froze. Marcus and his friends. The thing wearing Elara’s face.

Even the kids stopped making noise. "Moon Goddess," Kael breathed.

She landed gracefully in the middle of the destroyed nursery, and suddenly the room was whole again. The walls were fixed. The furniture was back in place.

But the feeling of danger stayed. "Selene," the creature said, and for the first time, it looked nervous.

"Luna," the Moon Goddess answered. "My wayward kid. Still playing dress-up, I see." Elara’s mind spun.

"Daughter?" The Moon Goddess turned to her, and Elara felt like she was being inspected by something vast and ancient.

"Hello, granddaughter," Selene said quietly. The words hit like a physical blow. "What?"

"Did you think your power came from nowhere? Your power to bridge worlds, to bring peace between species? That’s my bloodline. My gift."

"But she’s—" Elara pointed at the thing that looked like her.

"Your aunt. My eldest. The one who was meant to inherit everything." Selene’s voice grew cold.

"Until she decided she wanted to rule instead of serve." Luna’s appearance changed.

Her stolen features melted away, showing something beautiful but terrifying. She looked like Selene, but twisted. Darker. "You cast me out," Luna growled.

"For wanting to use our power properly." "You wanted to enslave mortals," Selene corrected.

"Just like the Guardians do now." Suddenly, everything clicked into place for Darian.

"The Guardians work for her. For Luna." "Very good," Luna smiled, showing those sharp teeth again.

"They’ve been my faithful servants for ages. Controlling. Manipulating. Preparing."

"Preparing for what?" Kael demanded. "For tonight," Selene answered. "The final trial."

The Moon Goddess waved her hand, and the room around them disappeared.

They were standing in a vast arena made of stars and shadow. In the distance, troops faced each other.

On one side stood Marcus, Celeste, the Guardians, and thousands of animals like the Forgotten.

On the other side were the pack members who had stayed loyal, led by Tobias Grey. "This is it," Selene stated.

"The moment that determines everything." "I don’t understand," Elara said.

"Luna has been working toward this night for a thousand years. She wants to remove me and take control of all supernatural beings."

"And the children?" Ronan asked, holding Kai protectively. "Are the key to everything," Luna interrupted.

"Their power is bigger than mine. Greater than Selene’s. Whoever controls them controls the future."

"No one controls our children," Elara said fiercely. "That’s what we’re here to determine," Selene replied.

"Luna thinks power should dominate. I believe it should work. You chose trust."

"So what happens now?" Darian asked. "Now you prove your choice was right," Selene said. "By defeating me."

The words hung in the air like a bomb waiting to burst. "What?" all four adults said at once.

"The final trial isn’t about defeating Luna," Selene stated. "It’s about proving that your way is better than mine."

"But you’re on our side," Elara objected. "Am I?" The Moon Goddess’s smile was sad. "I’ve controlled magical beings for millennia.

Decided their fates. Chosen their mates. Determined their destinies." Luna laughed proudly.

"Finally, some honesty. Tell them the rest, mother." Selene’s glow faded slightly.

"The mate bonds. The predictions. The trials you’ve faced. I arranged all of it." Elara felt sick. "You manipulated us."

"I guided you toward what I thought was best." "That’s not the same thing," Kael said furiously. "Isn’t it?" Selene challenged.

"I picked Elara’s mates for her. I created the circumstances that brought you together.

I even suppressed her memories of her true heritage until the right time." "You’re just as bad as Luna," Ronan charged.

"The difference," Selene said quietly, "is that I’m willing to give up my power if you can prove you don’t need it." She pointed to the armies below.

"If you can stop this war without my help. If you can protect your children without my magic. If you can build peace through choice instead of control."

"And if we can’t?" Darian asked. "Then Luna takes over, and free will dies forever." Luna clapped her hands in delight.

"This is even better than I planned. Either way, the age of human choice ends tonight."

Baby Kira made a soft sound and reached toward both queens. Her tiny hand glowed with silver light. Suddenly, Elara understood.

"You’re both wrong," she said. The goddesses turned to her in surprise. "The children don’t need to be managed by anyone.

Not by Luna. Not by Selene. Not even by us." "What are you saying?" Luna demanded.

"I’m saying we step aside and let them choose." "They’re babies!" Selene protested.

"Are they?" Elara looked down at Kira’s old, knowing eyes. "Or are they something more?"

She set Kira down gently on the starlight floor. Kai wiggled in Kael’s arms until his father did the same.

The two babies looked at each other. Some wordless conversation passed between them. Then they began to crawl toward each other.

As they moved, their power grew. The silver light around them increased. "Stop them," Luna hissed.

"They’ll ruin everything." "Let them finish," Elara said strongly.

The babies reached each other and clasped tiny hands. The moment they touched, a wave of pure energy burst outward.

It washed over the armies below, and something amazing happened.

The fighting stopped. Every person, monster, and Guardian simply... laid down their weapons.

"What did they do?" Selene whispered. "They chose," Darian said in wonder.

"They chose to end the conflict without forcing anyone." "Impossible," Luna snarled. "Power must dominate!" "No," a new voice said.

Everyone turned in shock. The babies were standing now, but they looked different. Older.

Wiser. Ancient souls in young bodies. "Power must serve," Kira said in a voice far too adult for her age.

"Choice must be free," Kai added. "And love," they said together, "must guide everything."

The twins raised their joined hands, and both goddesses began to glow. "What’s happening?" Luna screamed.

"Evolution," the children answered. "The old ways end tonight." Luna tried to run, but she was frozen in place.

Selene stood calmly, as if she’d been expected this. "You knew," Elara realized. "You knew this would happen."

"I hoped," Selene amended. "But I couldn’t be certain until they chose for themselves."

The light from the children grew brighter, encompassing both goddesses. When it faded, Luna was gone.

Selene stayed, but she looked different. Younger. More real. "Where’s Luna?" Ronan asked.

"Redeemed," Kira said simply, back to looking like a normal baby. "Given another chance," Kai added, also returned to his baby form.

"And you?" Elara asked Selene. The old Moon Goddess smiled.

"Retired. It’s time for a new generation to lead the supernatural world."

She began to fade, becoming transparent. "Wait," Kael called. "What happens now?"

"Now," Selene said as she disappeared totally, "you raise your children. And trust them to make the right choices."

The arena disappeared around them, and they found themselves back in their own home. Everything was peaceful. The forces were gone.

The danger had passed. But as Elara picked up her daughter, she noticed something new.

Kira’s eyes held a silver star in each pupil. Kai had the same marks. "What does it mean?" she asked Darian.

Before he could answer, a knock came at the door. A voice called out - familiar, but impossible.

"Hello? Is anyone home? I’m looking for my family." It was Luna’s voice. But not cold anymore.

Warm. Human.

"I think," Darian said slowly, "our real adventure is just beginning."

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